Process for electrical dehydration of petroleum emulsions



Au 14, 1945. DEUTSCH 2,382,697

PROCESS FOR ELECTRICAL DEHYDRATION OF PETROLEUM EMULSIONS Filed April 15, 1958 //7 venton' Patented Aug. 14, 1945 PROCESS FOR ELECTRICAL DEHYDRATIO F PETROLEUM EMULSIONS Walther Deutsch, Frankfort-on-the-Main, Germany; vested in the Alien Property Custodian Application April 13, 1938, Serial No. 201,844 In Germany September 1, 1937 1 Claim.

This invention relates to a process of and apparatus for the electrical separation of emulsions, and especially for removing water from oils (such as crude petroleum).

According to the invention, a condenser is interposed in the electric circuit traversing the emulsion under treatment, and the system constituted by the emulsion and series condenser is periodically charged by a source of high tension and afterwards discharged again. The periodical application of the high tension to the system can be effected, for example, by mechanically switching the source of current on and ofi. The condenser interposed in accordance with the invention and formin adequate protection against flash-overs in the treatment vessel, enables the discharge output, which acts upon the emulsion, to be efiectively apportioned, thereby rendering it possible to adapt the working conditions to suit the composition of the emulsion unde treatment for the time being.

The invention will hereinafter be more fully described with reference to'the accompanying drawing which illustrates diagrammatically and solely by way of example, five circuit arrangements suitable for use in carrying the invention into practical effect and in which- Fig. 1 shows one embodiment of circuit arrangement;

Fig. 2 shows a second embodiment;

Fig. 3 shows a third embodiment;

Fig. 4 shows a fourth embodiment; and

Fig. 5 shows a fifth embodiment.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. l, the reference numeral I denotes the earthed vessel containing the emulsion 2, into which latter an electrode 3 dips. A condenser 6 is interposed in the lead in conductor 5 of the electrode 3, said conductor leading to a high-tension rectifier 4, such as a mechanically operated polyphase rectifier.

The primary side 1 of the transformer 8 acting on the rectifier 4, is equipped witha motor-driven switch drum 9, which periodically switches on and interrupts the current from the main circuit.

When this current is switched on, the system,-

In the circuit arrangement shown in Fig. 2,

' the periodical switching on and oil, on the secondary side of the transformer 8, is effected by means of a rotary commutator Ill, which alternately charges and earths the system comprising the condenser 6 and the. emulsion 2.

In the arrangement shown in Fig. 3, the system 6, 2 is discharged to earth through a high-ohmic V resistance H.

The application of the high tension current to the emulsion under treatment can also be effected in the manner shown in Fig. 4, by periodically switching, on and off, a previously charged condenser 6. When the commutator I0 is in the position indicated by continuous lines in the figure, the condenser 6 is charged, and when the commutator is in the position indicated by broken lines, the condenser is in series with the emulsion and is discharged.

In certain cases, the interposition of a separate condenser can be dispensed with entirely, and

the condenser can be replaced by arranging for the wall of the vessel containing the emulsion, to serve as the dielectric of a condenser, the outer coating of which is earthed, whilst the inner coating is formed by the emulsion itself.

This arrangement is illustrated in Fig. 5 in which 1 is the vessel containing the emulsion, -2 is the emulsion serving as the inner condenser coating, l I is the earth'ed outer coating of the supplied to the vessel through pipe l2, oil is with- 49 ample, the apportioning condenser B, which is drawn through pipe l3 and water and slime are withdrawn through pipe M,

It is obvious that the invention is not restricted to the circuit arrangements shown. For exessential for the invention; can succeed a voltageconstituted by the resistance of the emulsion 2 ing a grounded external conduotlve'coating and an electrode in contact with the emulsion, charging this condenser by connecting the said electrode and coating with a source of rectified alternating current, then discharging this condenser by grounding the electrode and repeating the charging and discharging periodically.

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